US2660455A - Guided suspension means for bicycle steering wheels - Google Patents

Description

1953 A. P. DOUGLAS ET AL 2,669,455

GUIDEDSUSPENSION MEANS FOR BICYCLE STEERING WHEELS 7 Filed March 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. ALVIN R DOUGLAS L'ONAkD J warms BY 0%); Hie/46 v ATTORNEY N 1953 A. P. DOUGLAS ET AL 2,660,455

GUIDED SUSPENSION MEANS FOR BICYCLE STEERING WHEELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1951 INVENTORS, ALVIN 0006448 (50/7830 :1. WATEQS BY am/ezzmz ITTOQNEY 24, 3 ,A. P. DOUGLAS ETAL 2,660,455

GUIDED SUSPENSION MEANS FOR BICYCLE STEERING WHEELS Filed March 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I? 5 I! I .1 f 86 47 5 :11 9 58 84 2 INVENTORS, 1 8/ 4m 2 oouams 87 BY Mom/e04 WALTERS li 014M fl/wa 4 TTOE/VEY Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNI TED STATES O-FFI CE GUIDED SUSPENSION MEKNS-EFOR'BICR GLE STEERING WHEELS Alvin ,1. Douglas, levelapa, and. Leonard ;Wal'ters,;SliakerjHeights, Obit-,aslwmsitclh lMiirl-ay-Ohio"'Maniifacturilfg Qoinpany, CIeve= land; Ohio; 'a cofporatiomof Ohio ApplicatiomMarchB, 1951,--SerialNo.:214;775

wheel axle-beingsecuredby axlenuts to-the leverlinks. It hasbeen found that a structure of this type has certain disadvantages, especially for mounting the front. wheel of bicycles having.

the ordinary type of bicycle front wheel :axle,

hub and bearing structure. vAfter a short periodofuse. with this type of structure,- the bicycle tends to develop-a. front wheel wobble apparently due to loosening of the..nuts1 securing the axleto the lever links, for, when the nuts are taken up, the wobble disappears, However, after further use, the wheel: wobble again appears, and take-upof the nuts-isieifective only two-or three times in curing the wobble, which thereafterv becomes permanent. Such wobblinginth'e-steering wheel-is,v of. course, quite'objectionable';

The present invention substantially eliminates" this difficulty. Thedevelopment. of-such. wobblehas been found. to be due, in fact,.-to stretching of the axle, which seems to arise in the following manner When the. wheel :passesover anobstacle, in addition to the upward displacement allowed the wheel by the pivoting of the-lever links on the fork prongs-against the. strut structure coupled to the. sprinaa lateral tiltingof the wheel may result fromlateral swaying of the strut structure, or from an unequalrise of the lateral members of the strutstructure.

Hence, one of the objects=ofthisinvention the provision of a spring suspension. structure particularly for. bicycle front wheelspwhichovercomes the tendency-to develop wheelwobblerand.

yet is. simple, inexpensive, adapted to masslprm duction manufacturing methods,-and.of. neat, compact appearance.-

Other objects andadvantagesof the inventionwill be apparent from thefollowing descriptionof apreferred form of, the-invention, reference being made. to the accompanying: drawings wherein:

'Fig. '1 is a fragmentary side viewoffla. bicycle showing the front wheel assembly; s Fig. 2. is alfr'on't view, alongline. 2-2 ;of;l lig. l

of the spring. mounting structure and adjacent.

structures, certain parts being broken away;

. 2 fFig 3 is a view in section taken substantially a1ong,the Iihes3 3 ofFig. 2

fFig. 41s. a view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1;

I is a view, similar to Fig.1, of an assembly embodying another form of the invention and 6 is a fragmentary front view of the assembly shown infFig. 5 taken along the line 6-6.

In the. form of the. invention of Figs. '1 to 4 thereais. shown the front portion. of a bicycle havin a frame iii-with steering post Hinwh-ichis journaled in the usual manner steml2- of a steering. fork member I3 provided with two fork prongs l4 extending, downward from fork-yoke.

[5 attached to the bottom of the fork stem .l-2. A

fender. [Eds securedr betweent-fork member prongs Ito-the underside of yoke [5 by a screw I-l" whilehandle bars-(not shown) are attached in th usual manner to the upper part of stem H. The wheel itself is not shown in the drawings,

but=-in Fig, l the normal and upwardly deflected positions of the wheel perimeter are merely indicated by the curved lines within the mudguard whichare respectivelysolidand dashed. A-heav-y gauge sheet metal stamping. it having an aperture. through which stem l2 extends is-attached at yoke l5 and it extends forwardly above the fender to serve. as arigid. base member for a helicaltension-spring 2i To confer rigidity, the stampingfis formed withra peripherally continu-v ous downwardly extending-flange 22. The rea-r end ofthe stamping, including-the flange portion,

is shaped to confo'rm closely to the adjacent top andside surfaces of yoke l5 and prongs when the base member is slid over the stem into position during assemblyto aiford a sufficiently large bonding areav for brazing the stamping securely to theiforkrmember. The: spring 21 is held in position on the upper forward surface of the base member 19, by a nut. and bolt 23 passed through a loop inI-the bottomturn-of the-spring and through the base; member It; The upperend-of 21 and. nut and bolt- 25' totheyoke .portion of an inverted U-shaped'strut member 2 having legs 2 8 extending downwardly oneither' side of the fender and front wheel. The clamp -24, formed by. stamping and folding, heavy sheet nietaL'. is shaped along the fold to receive. and closely embrace. theyoke portion of the -U -shaped strut; member 21 and is provided with aligned boltghol's. in. the f'ro'nti and back portions-3D and;

held within the clamp 24 by the nut and 'bolt the. spring is anchored by :mea-ns of a'strut-clamp;

A loop the. top-end of thespring is 25. Spacing washers may be provided on either side of the loop as needed. On the rear portion 3| of the clip there are provided on each side pivot socket structures 32, formed by curling a projection on the stamping into circular shape, for the attachment of a strut restraining and guide member 34. Member 34 is formed from heavy metal rod in a roughly U-shape with the legs thereof curved downwardly and having the ends 35 bent inwardly to be journaled in the pivot socket structures 32 of the strut clamp 24. This strut guidin member is pivotally secured along a straight yoke portion 35 thereof to the upper end of stem post 12 by a clamp structure 31 attached to the upper end of stem l2 above the steering post. This clamp structure comprises lower and upper stamped metal plates 38 and 39 provided with apertures through which the upper end of the steering stem [2 projects, a nut .49 being provided on stem l2 to hold the two stampings in place. The forward end of the lower plate is provided with a transverse trough 4| in which the yoke portion of the strut guide is supported, while the forward end 42 of the upper member curves downwardly over the yoke portion of the strut guide member and the lower plate to hold the guide member in place. The upper plate 39 is also provided with downwardly extending flanges 44 on either side to keep the two plates from shiftin relative to each other.

To mount the wheel, a pair of lever link memhere 46 adapted to receive the ends 47 of the wheel axle are provided, the forward ends 48 of which are pivotally attached to the inner side of the respective fork prongs M with the rear ends 49 similarly attached to the lower end of the corresponding legs 28 of the strut member. To the underside of the forward end of the fender is secured the yoke portion of a U-shaped fender brace having the lower end of each leg 52 attached to the outside of the corresponding fork prong, while a rearwardly extending U-shaped fender brace 53 has its yoke portion attached to the outside of the fender and the forward ends of its legs 54 pivotally secured to the link members commonly with the strut legs 28. A bolt 55 passed through the yoke and fender, and secured by a speed-nut type fastener 56 provides a flexible attachment of the brace to the fender. The form of the link members and manner of attaching thereto these several structures is clearly shown in Figs. 1'

and Each link member is generally crescent shaped, and is provided with bolt holes at the forward and rearward ends 48 and 49 which are laterally oifset, respectively, inwardly and outwardly.

The downward bow of the crescent is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly directed slot 58 for the reception of end 41 of the wheel axle, held therein by axle nuts 59. The front end of each link 45 is placed inside the lower end of the corresponding fork prong l4 and bolts 6i are passed through the links, the fork prongs [4, the lower end of legs 52 of the forward fender brace 5i, and washers B2 and held by nuts 83 to serve as pivots for the links.

A nut 65 and bolt 66, passed successively through the rear end 49 of each link, washer t1, sleeve 58 in the forward end of fender brace leg 54, lower end of strut leg 28 and washer cs, holds the link, lower fender brace 53 and strut leg 28 together in pivotal relation on each side.

The dashed lines in Fig. 1 represent the limiting position which the wheel and the. several parts of the shock-absorbing spring suspension structure can attain when the wheel passes over an obstacle. The shoulders 10 and H formed by ofisetting the ends of each link member 46 may serve as stops in coming against the edge of the fork prong I4 when the wheel is displaced upwardly. By the provision of the strut member guide 34 pivoting on the fork structure and pivotally attached to the strut 27 through pivot sockets 32, a means is supplied to constrain the strut member 21 to move upwardly without lateral tilting during shock absorbing action, which in turn ensures parallel movement of the link members to prevent tilting, and consequent stretching, of the axle.

In addition to the mechanical functions performed in the wheel suspension or shock absorbing mechanism, the several parts may be shaped to have a decorative effect individually and in ensemble. Thus, for example, as may be seen in Figs. 1 to 4, a design may be formed in the stamping of upper plate 39, the base member [9 is shaped to conform to the fender lines and to the tension spring base, and the strut guide 34 is curved rather than having straight legs of harsher visual effect.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein like numerals are used to designate parts like to those of Figs. 1 to 4, the general construction is basically the same as in the first form. Here, however, the prongs Id of the fork member are substantially straight, and link members extend forward therefrom, and swing upward in front of the prongs when displaced in the shock absorbing action. The inwardly offset and perforated rear end 8i of each link member is pivotally secured to the inside of the fork prong end by a nut and a bolt 82 which also hold the corresponding leg of the rearwardly extending U-shaped fender brace 84. Each end 41 of the axle is held in the axle slot 58 by axle nuts 53 as in the first form. The perforated forward end 86 of the link member 80, which here is not offset, is pivotally coupled to the bottom of the corresponding leg 28 of the shock-absorber strut member 2'! by a nut and bolt 86. The shoulders 81, formed by the offsets, in coming to bear against the front edge of the fork prongs, here serve as stops limiting the upward deflection of the wheel suspension structure.

The platform-like spring base member 88 is essentially the same in construction, function and manner of attachment to the wheel fork member as in Figs. 1 to 4. However, as here shown, a forward extension 89 is provided to mount accessories, such as a, spot light. Likewise, the strut clamp 24, the strut guide member 34, and the clamping plates 38 and 39 for the yoke of the strut guide are all formed and connected like the corresponding parts in Figs. 1 to 4 as above described. In place of a single spring of Figs. 1 to 4, secured directly to the spring base member and to the spring clamp, there is provided a pair of springs 9| disposed side by side. The lower and upper ends of each of these springs have a close wound portion 92 into which are screwed lower and upper externally threaded plugs 93 and 94, each plug having a threaded central bore and a pair of recesses 95 for the application of a wrench. The tension springs 9| are each secured to the base member 88 by a bolt 96 extending through the base member into the central bore of each lower plug 53, while the upper end of each spring is secured to a transverse spring anchor plate 91 by a bolt 98 threaded into the central bore of each upper plug 94. The strut clamp 24 is secured to the yoke of strut member 21 and the spring anchor plate 96 by a nut and bolt 25 passed through the strut yoke clamp and the upwardly extending perforated lugs formed by bending extensions 99 and I00 of the anchor plate to bring the ends adjacent.

It will be understood that other forms of the invention may be adopted, falling within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. For a bicycle and the like having a forked member between the prongs of which a wheel is disposed and having a fork stem member journaled in the steering post of the bicycle, a spring suspension structure for the wheel comprising av platform-like base member rigidly attached to said forked member and extending therefrom above the wheel, tension spring means having a lower end secured to said base member, an inverted U-shaped strut member having its legs straddling the wheel, a strut clamp secured to the yoke portion of said U-shaped strut member and also secured to the upper end of said spring means, a strut guide member of generally U- shape interposed between said strut member and said forked member to restrain the strut member from lateral deflection, said guide member having a yoke portion pivotally attached to the forked member and legs having laterally bent ends adapted for insertion in pivot sockets provided on said strut clamp, means carried on the said fork stem above the steering post for pivotally supporting the yoke portion of said guide member, and a pair of link members each pivotally interconnecting the end of one fork prong and the end of a corresponding leg of said strut member, said link members being substantially parallel and having the wheel mounted therebetween.

2. For a bicycle and the like having a forked member between the prongs of which a wheel is disposed and having a fork stem member journaled in the steering post of the bicycle, a spring suspension structure for the wheel comprising a platform-like base member rigidly attached to said forked member and extending therefrom above the Wheel, tension spring means having a lower end secured to said base member, an inverted U-shaped strut member having its legs straddling the wheel, a strut clamp secured to the yoke portion of said U-shaped strut member and also secured to the upper end of said spring means, a strut guide member of generally U- shape interposed between said strut member and said forked member to restrain the strut member from lateral deflection, said guide member having leg ends bent into alignment with each other and a yoke end portion parallel to said leg ends to provide parallel pivot portions at opposite ends of the guide member, means carried on the said fork stem above the steering post and means on said strut clamp for pivotally supporting the said pivot portions of said guide member, and a pair of link members each pivotally interconnecting the end of one fork prong and the end of a corresponding leg of said strut member, said link members being substantially parallel and having the wheel mounted therebetween.

ALVIN P. DOUGLAS.

LEONARD J. WALTERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,132,829 Cobb Mar. 23, 1915 1,527,133 Harley Feb. 17, 1925 2,537,679 Kraeft Jan. 9, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 607,559 Great Britain Sept. 1, 1948 892,635 France Jan. 13, 1944

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